Joel Embiid Olympic Mistake

Kenyon Martin claims that Joel Embiid was an ‘Olympic Mistake’

Another day, another dumbass comment from a media member or former NBA player about Joel Embiid playing in the Olympics as the starting center for Team USA. This time around, we have Kenyon Martin saying that Joel Embiid playing in the Olympics was a “mistake.”

Kenyon Martin: Joel Embiid Olympic Mistake

I’ve been saying it from the beginning when he made the decision. For what? This is what’s important over here. Like, you struggled coming off an injury. You barely made it through the playoffs. If they were, so happen to get through, he basically couldn’t play another round. Not at that level. I think he should’ve rested, worked on his lower body, and got his strength in his legs, and get ready for the season. I think it was a mistake. [Kenyon Martin]

Of course, no one asked Kenyon Martin why it was a mistake or why from the very beginning, Martin believing that Embiid joining Team USA was a mistake. That would be too smart of a conversation for a show that includes Gilbert Arenas.

Look, I’m not saying that Embiid’s Team USA debut was an overwhelming success. He definitely struggled through the team’s five exhibition matches and in the early games during the group stage.

However, when Embiid did perform well in the Olympics, they came at the most pivotal moments for Team USA – highlighted by his performance against Serbia to give the United States a shot at the gold medal against France. 

Team USA fell behind by 10+ points in the fourth quarter against Nikola Jokic and Serbia before they turned to Embiid to mount a massive comeback to win the game 95-91 and advance to the gold medal game against France. 

It was Embiid’s third consecutive game where he played a crucial part in Team USA’s success. He finished the game with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block while shooting 8-of-11 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from three point range. 

Embiid carried the Americans in the second half, highlighted by a a massive dunk to get things rolling in the third quarter. 

With Team USA trailing by 13 points in the final frame, Embiid arguably had his best (and most important) fourth quarter of his career.

He scored seven straight points and got a huge a block on the defensive end that set up LeBron James with a game-tying bucket with roughly three and a half minutes left in the game.

The Americans outscored Serbia 32-15 in the fourth quarter to secure a 95-91 victory. 

In his previous game against Brazil, Embiid dropped 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor and 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc. 

The game before that against Puerto Rico, Embiid finished with 15 points, three rebounds and two assists on 6-of-14 shooting.

So yeah, I’m honestly confused as to why Embiid is constantly criticized for really, no apparent reason – even more so when it’s coming from a fellow American basketball player. 

First, it was Charles Barkley running his mouth. Now it’s Kenyon Martin among others. 

I don’t know, maybe everyone should simply shut the fuck up? 

Honestly, Embiid should get to the Philadelphia 76ers’ practice facility and slap KJ Martin, Kenyon Martin’s son across the back of his head and tell him that his father needs to shut his damn mouth. 

At the end of the day, Joel Embiid is a massive human being and it takes time to get the motor running. Everyone in Philadelphia is very familiar with that and honestly, Kenyon Martin and Charles Barkley should be too.

Of course, admitting that doesn’t draw the headlines and engagement on social media so people just go back to the Embiid Content Well to get the eyeballs. It’s a pathetic way to stay relevant over the Summer when sports news outside of baseball tends to be slow. 

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